Things Blow Up
by BJeanes
Summary: Albus Potter was dreaming from a distance, but it became time for him to wake up. Because Tom Finnigan knew how to stir and blow things up. OC/Albus S. Potter
1. The Roommate

Albus Severus Potter had wandered around the Hogwarts grounds until he reached his favourite place to spend the Saturday morning. The covered bridge was quiet on those mornings. No one bothered being out there at a time like that. No one but him.

Some students even avoided the bridge period. Years ago part of the bridge had been blown up and rebuild, but that part of the bridge still looked pretty unstable. Not that it was, but some students believed it was. Other students just supported the believes by setting of little explosives near the bridge. Many students would flee the bridge whenever they heard any loud noise, but Albus had gotten used to the pranks being pulled.

Somewhere in the distance he could hear the last people returning from the Quidditch pitch. Gryffindor Quidditch try-outs took place at the earliest possible hour, the new Captain was truly insane. Most of the people that tried out where long back at the Gryffindor tower. Still Albus felt nothing for returning there. He would wait until the party had died down and most Gryffindors dove back into their beds, went out for some fresh air or, in some cases, a weekend study session.

The cold air felt nice on Albus' skin. Still a red and gold scarf protected him from catching a cold. He leaned forward a bit so his head hung above the ravine below. The breeze made his black hair dance before his eyes. Albus smiled as he knew trying to fix it would prove useless.

His thoughts drifted away. What would it be like if he had company out there on the bridge. Together staring out over nature around them. Discussing the chirping birds and the cold air.

It was as if someone had read his thoughts because at that moment a voice rang out. 'Potter!'

Albus looked down at his feet and sighed. There were only two people who called him that. One of them was Scorpius Malfoy. The blond haired Slytherin from his year. He didn't know why Scorpius called him that, but his uncle had said he must have inherited it from his dad.

'Potter!' On the other hand, the other person was Tom Finnigan. Albus' roommate and best friend.

'Hi Tom.' Albus smiled as the other boy crashed his butt onto the railing.

Unlike Albus, Tom took more after his mother's looks than his father's. Tom's hair was black and his skin was toned. But the one time the boys had met each other's parents he'd seen Tom's eyes were the same kind of blue as his father's. And Albus' father had said Tom took his personality from his dad. To which Tom's mother had smiled shyly. She had been a Ravenclaw unlike Tom and his father who had both been proud Gryffindors. But Tom was a smart guy and always succeeded to make her proud.

'Didn't see you on the pitch.' Tom said as he leaned his broom against the railing.

'I didn't go.' Albus admitted. Tom had of course assumed Albus would come watch the try-out's like many other Gryffindors did. He faced him. 'How much fun it may be to see mister Captain bossing around all of you, I got more useless things to do.' He smirked.

Tom pulled one foot on the railing and leaned against one of the poles. 'That brother of yours is one difficult character sometimes.'

Many people had tried to describe James Sirius Potter's behaviour, but none suited just right. Although Albus' uncle got close.

"Fun and mischief is for off the pitch. When it concerns Quidditch, James gets bloody serious."

Tom flicked a stone into the ravine. 'He wants to wait till tonight after the feast to announce the team. Claims to have to think about it.' Tom put on his best James imitation.

"Consider all possibilities to get the best team and win Gryffindor that Cup."

Albus laughed. 'And seriously…' Tom sat up to continue his complaining. '…this hour of the day for try-outs. I barely caught a respectable breakfast. And two girls even passed out.' It sounded funny, but Tom's face was dead serious.

It sounded like James, Albus thought and shook his head. 'Can we talk about something other than my brother?' Albus pleaded. He held his finger up for Tom. If he was only thinking about making a "You're rhyming" joke, Albus stopped him.

'Okay.' Tom sighed. 'Like what?'

Anything related to classes or teachers was a bad idea. Other topics included Quidditch, which would lead to James, funny stuff, which would lead to James, and girls, which would also lead to James. Albus sighed. Was there literally nothing that didn't relate to James? Nothing but…

'I heard Maddie's got an eye on Scorpius.' Albus looked at Tom from the corner of his eyes.

'She's too young for him.' Tom reacted. The thought of his cousin, Maddie Thomas, dating that guy made Tom shiver.

Albus smirked. 'Isn't that for Scorpius to decide?'

'Not if I got a say in it.' Tom smirked back.

Albus lifted himself onto the railing. 'Senna and Maddie really got a protective cousin out of you.' He stated and clamped his hand around the railing so he wouldn't fall.

'Speaking about protective cousins…' Tom trailed. Albus could feel Tom's eyes focused on him. 'I know you kicked against the bottle on purpose.'

Albus sighed. Last week a group of fifth years had played the muggle game: "Spin-the-Bottle". Among the players were Albus, Tom and Albus' cousin, Rose Weasley. Halfway through the game it was Tom's turn and Albus had purposely reached out his foot so the bottle wouldn't land on Rose.

Tom tried to make eye contact with Albus, but he avoided his gaze. 'Why didn't you want me kissing Rose?' Albus didn't answer. He just stared into the distance. 'Al, I'm just gonna stare at you until you answer.'

Albus sighed. 'Just… because.' He mumbled.

'Just because what, Al?' Tom climbed of the railing and faced his friend. 'You know you can just tell me. Worst thing I can do is throw you of the bridge and you'll still have your wand.' Tom smirked, but Albus didn't smile.

He still avoided looking at him. 'I don't have to tell you everything.' He mumbled looking at his feet. 'Just let it go.' Albus was never this shy with Tom around, but something got to him.

'Fine.' Tom sighed. He picked up his broom. 'If you wanna keep secrets.' Albus still wouldn't look at him. 'See you later, Potter.' Tom called out as he walked away.

'Tom.' Albus sighed feeling sorry, but Tom couldn't hear him anymore. 'Tom!' He yelled, but there was no reaction. 'Finnigan!' Albus knew he was being ignored. He slid down the railing and sat on the bridge floor.

'Great, so much for having company.'


	2. Secret's Out

He snarled the password at the Fat Lady. 'Albus Severus Potter, some manners maybe?' She lifted up her nose as if she were insulted.

'Sorry.' Albus mumbled. 'Snoring Salamander.' He repeated politely.

'Better.' The Fat Lady said and swung open.

Albus climbed through and headed directly to his dormitory. The Gryffindor Tower was completely empty. The Feast had ended not too long ago and the Quidditch Captain was announcing the team. It had gotten attention from not only all of Gryffindor, but also students from other houses and even teachers like Rubeus Hagrid and professor Longbottom. Albus knew the Captain well enough to know he enjoyed the attention very much. His brother, James Sirius Potter, was making a whole scene about it. Some people said it was one of the trademarks every Captain had, but to Albus it was just annoying.

The dormitory door closed behind him and he let himself fall onto his bed. He just wanted the day to be over. Maybe he could fall asleep and pull a long night or maybe wake up and do some midnight wandering when everyone else, hopefully, was asleep. That sounded good to him and he started taking of his clothes.

He had just unbuttoned his shirt when he heard footsteps. Of course it was a chance of one in so much that the person would enter his dormitory. Still Albus jumped on his bed and closed the curtains.

The door opened and Albus laid down turning his head away from the door. 'Al?' A voice called. He heard the footsteps come closer to his bed and stop. 'Potter, I know you're here.' Albus closed his eyes just in time before his roommate, Tom Finnigan, pulled open the curtains around Albus' bed. 'And you're definitely not asleep.' Tom slapped the back of his hand against Albus' back.

'Au! What's that good for?!' Albus sat up quickly, in case Tom intended to hit him again.

Tom smirked. 'Sorry, mate. But what are you doing up here? The party just got to the common room.' He smiled as he took of his robe.

'I'm not really up for a party tonight.' Albus mumbled and swung his legs over the edge of his bed.

'Are you kidding me? You gotta come drink a butterbeer with me.' Tom pulled his jumper over his head. 'I got Chaser you, Lemonhead!' He slapped his jumper against Albus' leg.

Albus pulled his leg up in a reflex. 'Well, congratz Tom.' He said and carefully put his leg back down.

'Dad'll be so proud.' Tom said with his head in his trunk. Albus still remembered Tom's dad being proud last year. His father had been proud of the reason he hadn't made the team. Tom had blown up a quaffle during the try-outs. He had really lived up to his father's name.

'Did you see the smile on Hugo's face?' Tom asked. 'They even carried him up the stairs. You should've seen him and Lily this morning.' Tom's tie flew up into the air and landed on his bed.

During the Gryffindor Quidditch try-outs that morning Albus' cousin, Hugo Weasley, apparently had stunned everyone. Turning out to be a golden seeker. He'd even been compared to Albus' dad, Harry Potter. Ironically Hugo had far out flown his own cousin and Albus' little sister, Lily Luna Potter. Which Lily had told Albus personally that afternoon. Hugo was not only the hero of the day and of Gryffindor, he would also be the family's hero. That, Albus knew for sure.

Tom appeared again buttoning the shirt he'd just put on. 'Really, what's up with you Al?' He finished and sat down on his bed opposite to Albus. 'Is this about Rose? About her kissing me on the cheek back there.' Tom studied his friends expression.

Albus tried not to, but he snapped. 'Not everything is about her you know!' The temper he inherited from his father rang through in his words. He took a deep breath, but it didn't help. 'I'm just not in the mood for a party.' He snarled at Tom and threw his body backward on the bed.

'Jeez, sorry.' Tom said and Albus heard the sarcasm mix with offence. 'You know what?' There Tom raised his voice back at him. 'Forget about it. You keep your secrets.' The words stung coming from his friend like that. 'I'm going to the party. Don't wait up!' Tom spoke quickly and Albus heard him heading towards the door.

He could just slap himself. Why did he always have to do this? But this time he wouldn't let Tom just walk away. 'Wait!' He quickly sprung up and ignoring the black fade before his eyes headed towards his roommate. 'Tom, I'm sorry!'

Suddenly everything went so fast. The black fade disappeared and Albus could see Tom's right hand on the door handle. His right hand grabbed Tom's other wrist. He pulled and Tom turned around. As protection from any punch Tom might throw Albus lifted his arm, but it accidently slipped behind Tom's head.

Before either of the boys realized what was going on, the force of the turn made their soft lips crash into each other. They were both shocked, but as Albus felt a tingling going through his body he leaned into the kiss. Tom's lips tasted of the roast beef he'd nervously been forcing down his throat at the feast.

A weight lifted itself off of Albus' chest. He'd finally done it. Finally gave in to all those feelings. He admitted to himself being dearly in love with his roommate and best friend, Tom. Tom!

The two boys pulled apart. Tom's eyes were big and he looked stunned. Albus didn't dare look at him. 'You..you kissed me.' He muttered.

A silence fell and Albus backed away. He didn't see the change in Tom's eyes as he stepped forward.

'I thought you'd never.' Tom said and pulled him closer.


	3. James' Fault

Autumn had turned to winter and winter had barely turned to spring when the sun had come out to shine. Most students therefor were spending the day outside. But not Albus and Lily Potter. They were up in the Gryffindor common room waiting for their brother James to return from Quidditch practise. Together they would go visit Rubeus Hagrid.

Albus and Lily were just talking when they heard the Fat Lady raise her voice at someone. '…no manners anymore.' She exclaimed in a high voice.

'Oh shut up!' A student hissed back as he entered the common room. Tom Finnigan looked furious as he stormed past the Potters up to the dormitories.

'What's up with him?' Lily asked Albus.

'I don't know.' Albus mumbled and got up. 'I'll be back.' He said and quickly followed Tom upstairs.

The door closed itself behind him as Albus gasped. Tom had ransacked their whole room. He was randomly throwing things into his trunk and sank down on the ground. Albus kneeled by his side. 'Love, what's wrong?'

Tom looked up at him. 'They found out I blew up the Slytherin hourglass.' The Slytherin hourglass counted the house points of Slytherin house in green emeralds. Earlier that week the hourglass had exploded for no particular reason. Albus and Tom were the only ones that knew who'd been responsible. Though many others had suspected Tom and even James Potter.

'So, how many days of detention did you get?' Albus sat down on the end of Tom's bed.

'None, not even any points taken from Gryffindor.' Tom said standing up.

Albus looked at his boyfriend. 'They let you go free?' He asked surprised.

Tom picked up his broom and looked at Albus. 'I got expelled.'

Albus' eyes grew big. 'What?! For something like this?! They can't do that!' He shook his head.

Tom put his broom on his bed. 'Well, they wouldn't have if they didn't still suspect me of those stunts James pulled off.' Every time James and his gang blew something up, Tom got blamed. Due to his own and his father's reputation. For all the times James didn't get caught they held Tom responsible. Of course there was no prove and Tom didn't get punished, but it didn't do any good to his reputation. And now it even resulted in this.

'We'll get them to see sense. I'll make James fix this, if I have to.' Albus said slipping his arm around Tom's waist.

'Don't bother. James won't.' Tom walked away from Albus and threw a shirt into his trunk. 'I've asked him to own up, many times before. But he and his pompous butt refuse to.' With a swish of his wand everything in Tom's trunk arranged itself neatly. 'I'll ask Senna to hit a buldger where it hurts.' Tom's cousin, Senna Thomas, got on the Hufflepuff team as beater this year.

'You can't blame James for everything.' Albus said sitting down on his own bed.

'If I didn't get blamed for his stupid stunts I could have pulled this of easily! I've never blown up anything bigger than a dummy.' Tom kicked against his trunk.

'You blew up my bed…' Albus said.

'That was in our first year, Al! It was an accident!' Tom snapped. 'The things that James does are never an accident. And he doesn't care if I get expelled for them!'

Albus rose to his feet. 'My brother is not a feeling less monster! He does care!' He snapped back. 'And eventually it's your own fault you got expelled, not his!'

'You always take James' side!' Tom yelled.

Albus started yelling louder. 'Well, he is my brother! And…'

'And I'm your boyfriend! But I guess that doesn't matter. Especially since it's our little secret.' Tom swung his wand again and all his belongings flew into his trunk. 'You know what? Let's forget about this little secret!'

'What do you mean?' Albus uttered still angry.

'I'm leaving tonight. And after that we won't have to see each other ever again.' Tom stormed out of the room. The lid of his trunk fell shut and locked itself.

Albus stared at the door. What had just happened? 'Tom. Tom, wait!' He ran after him. He just saw Tom push James out of the way and disappear through the portrait hole.

'What's with him?' James asked looking at the closing portrait.

'Tom!' Albus yelled again, but by now Tom could be anywhere in the castle.

Lily got up. 'Al, what's wrong?' She asked, but he was to stunned by what just happened to answer. 'Al?' He closed his eyes and it sounded as if her voice got deeper. 'Al?!'

'Al, wake up!' Tom almost pushed him out of his bed. Albus quickly opened his eyes and looked right into the blue eyes of his roommate. 'Jeez man, what was that?' Tom backed up and sat down on his own bed. He was wearing his try-out get up.

It had all been a dream, a horrible dream. No, a… 'Nightmare.' Albus groaned.

'A bad one so I see.' Tom rose to his feet again. 'But I wanna get some breakfast before try-outs so I gotta rush. You coming to the pitch later?' He asked and picked up his broom.

Albus lifted his head up. Everything really had been a dream. Everything from the morning of the try-outs to their fight. Try-outs hadn't taken place yet, Tom hadn't gotten on the team and he hadn't kissed him. 'Don't think so.' Albus mumbled still a bit sleep drunk.

'Suit yourself. I'll see you back here after.' Tom opened the door and looked back at Albus. 'Oh and you don't mind I borrowed a pair of your socks, right?' He didn't wait for an answer. 'Thanks mate!' And with that he was gone. Albus shook his head. His weird sock borrowing roommate. He lifted his head up a bit more. He could see a note attached to his bedpost.

"Thanks for the socks, Al. Feel free to grab one of my shirts, yours are still covered in Thursday's mud bomb.

Love,

Tom."


End file.
